Anatomy of a Fall (#480)

It’s been a while since I saw a French film, and I was anxious to once again hear the language that I thought I was fluent in years ago.  So I went to see ANATOMY OF A FALL, a psychological thriller.  Major disappointment was it was mostly in English because the main character, the wife, was a German, educated in the U.K., and was more comfortable in that language.  She is married to a Frenchman, they live in a chalet somewhere in the snow-covered  French Alps, and they have a teenaged son.  Both husband and wife are writers.  We first meet husband Samuel when he is  discovered by son Daniel dead and lying in the snow outside their home. Then there is an intensive investigation of the death — accident, suicide or homicide? — and eventually the wife, Sandra, is indicted for his murder and stands trial.  The French courtroom scenes are intriguing highlighted by the jousting between prosecutor and Sandra’s lawyer.  There are many revelations about Sandra’s and Samuel’s life together and tension regarding the outcome of the trial.  The settings were interesting, and the acting by all was first rate.  Despite the fact that the film was over two and a half hours long, I liked it but was annoyed by loud music sometimes being played inappropriately (at least in my opinion).  It was a relief to see several films in a row without too many aliens and other bizarre creatures.  Critics and audiences agreed with me, 96 and 89 % thumbs up respectively.  You might be happy to know that Joaquin Phoenix has divested himself of roles like Johnny Cash and Joker and will be on the silver screen  as Napoleon to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.